Of Assassins, Spies, and Elves
by pyroporcupine
Summary: Set before the Quest of the Ring, Legolas witnesses a murder committed by a ruthless elf maiden, only to find himself caught up in her hidden motives.
1. Silent Murder

**A/N: This is my first time at this so I realize this story might sound stupid. Please review when you're done reading, I'll take any opinions of yours, good or bad.**

The tavern was a place where all manners of men and lowlife could be found. Lanterns on the sides of the walls dimly lighted the main area and in the centre there was a fireplace where most had gathered around. Long tables and benches placed in no particular order all about the room were crammed with people. Everyone there was talking amongst themselves and their voices were loud enough to drown out the sound of the storm outside. 

It was unusually crowded and chaotic on that particular night, for the clouds had unleashed torrents rain, driving all to seek shelter from the endless downpour. Most there seemed to be men from the surrounding region of Gondor, though there were a few faces showed some traces of Haradrim descent. Elves rarely frequented such a place, much less elves from the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood, which laid many leagues from Gondor. Yet there was one elf from Mirkwood there that night, though he sat in the corner, hidden by shadows and watching as the others went about their business. Legolas Greenleaf, son of the Sindar Elf King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm, had just completed his task of bringing something of great importance from his father to the current ruling Steward in Gondor. He was in no rush to return home at the moment, partly because of the inclement weather and also because it was not very often he was in this part of Middle Earth. He decided to linger around for several days to wander about the human kingdom.

As he sat watching, the door of the tavern on the other side of the room opened and a man dressed in well-worn travelling clothes of dark brown quickly stepped in and shut the door behind him. A large hood, dripping wet from the rain outside, hid the newcomers face as he glanced about the tavern as though looking for someone. Unlike all the others there, the man left his hood up around his face instead of taking it off, even though he was now indoors. Keeping his eyes on the cloaked figure, Legolas noted there was something strange about him. Perhaps it was because he didn't walk with the same swagger as all the other men there, or that his shoulders did have the same characteristic broadness. The man continued surveying the dim, busy room then seemed to find what he was looking for. As he quickly made his way towards one of the tables close to the fireplace, the light from the lanterns lit up the hidden face for a brief moment. Legolas's sharp eyes caught a glance at the lighted face and he realized that it was not a man, but a woman whom he was watching. He noticed how her bright green eyes blazed savagely in the lighting. She moved with the same gracefulness of an elf, yet he could not tell if she was, for her ears were hidden from view. 

She was doing well at drawing little attention to herself as she approached a somewhat wealthy looking man sitting alone near the fireplace. She sat down by the man and started talking to him, though Legolas could not hear what they were saying over the din of the tavern. As the woman talked, she reached into a sack she had and brought out a small bag, no doubt containing something valuable from the way she handled it. They talked for a few more moments before she gave the bag to the man. Their conversation seemed to have ended, for she stood up and glanced around as though she was readying herself to leave. The man she had been talking with turned back to his drink and looked intently at the package he had received. Without a warning, the woman suddenly drew out a dagger that shone harshly in the light of the fire from a sheath that hung at her side. She quickly threw her free hand over the man's mouth then sunk the dagger deep into his back, right where his heart would be. Before her victim could even begin a struggle, his life was torn from him. She waited several seconds before removing her hand and the dagger, wiping it on her cloak before placing it back where it came from. She grabbed the package that she had given the man from his open hand and stuffed it into the sack she had with her. Just as she glanced up, her eyes met with Legolas's steady, unwavering gaze. She narrowed her eyes warningly, then hastily turned around and quietly left. 

The tavern was so crowded that no one except Legolas, the woman and the now slumped over dead man knew what had happened. No one had even noticed she was there. It would not be until many hours later as the owner of the tavern found that the man he thought had passed out from too many drinks was actually dead. 

Even though his eyes showed otherwise, Legolas was shocked at what he just saw. The woman had murdered a man in cold blood and left without a second glance. He wondered who she could be, and is she was possibly an elf…… _No_, he thought, as far as he knew, it was not in the nature of elves to do such treacherous things. But there was something about her that intrigued him none the less. He glanced at the dead man and knew there was nothing that even his healing skills could do to revive him, the dagger was sharp and the blade had gone right where it was intended. Quickly he gathered his belongings and exited the tavern hoping to catch up with the killer. It was still raining hard outside, but he didn't notice it, he was too focused on finding that woman, though he still didn't know why. He knew she was dangerous, and ruthless; she might even try to kill him if she suspected he knew too much. His ears picked up the faint sound of horse hoofs on the ground amid the sound of the rain, he turned in the direction he heard them. He saw a rider clad in a dark cloak riding down the road away from the tavern. Though he wasn't sure if it was the woman, Legolas quickly mounted his horse and rode off into the darkness of the night and rain, following the rider.

**Well, that's it folks, give me your thoughts on the story, and I'll see if it's worth continuing……**


	2. Pursuit With Consequences

**A/N: Here's the second part of the story, thanks to all who gave reviews. This is certainly a pleasant first-fic experience, lol. Anyways, more reviews would be nice, I gotta know what you guys think of this.**

The unknown rider sped off down the main road, out of the small town, and towards the north. Legolas followed behind from a distance, hoping that he wouldn't be noticed by the one he was following. After several hours, the rain had somewhat lessened but his quarry rode on relentlessly. All through the night and the next day the rider did not show any signs of stopping. The rains were reduced to a faint drizzle now, as the moon rose to light the fast-approaching night.

Suddenly, the rider stopped and dismounted by a grove of trees in a small valley.  By this time, Legolas was almost certain that it was indeed the same woman he saw at the tavern. Aided by the bleak light from the moon, he could see that the rider had the same graceful, almost elf-like movements. She unloaded her horse and settled down amongst the trees as though resting. After watching her for about an hour from the crest of the valley, she still hadn't moved. Legolas was sure she had fallen asleep. 

He finally dismounted and sat down, leaning against some large rocks. He decided he'd stay where he was and keep an eye on her until she woke up, so he wouldn't lose track of her if she continued her journey. But the combination of his long ride in the rain and lack of cover from it left him feeling quite drowsy. Without realizing it, sleep crept upon him and he soon became oblivious to everything. 

The next thing he knew, the rain had stopped though he was still feeling miserably damp. As his mind regained consciousness, Legolas cursed himself for not staying awake. He groggily opened his eyes to the faint light of dawn, and found himself staring right into the endpoint of an arrow, certain to kill him if it was released. Drawing in a sharp breath he looked up at the archer and found two blazing green eyes glaring at him from a face hidden by a dark brown hood. It was without a doubt the woman he had been trailing. 

_"Don't move, your weapons are of no use to you now."_ she said, indicating towards her back. Legolas looked behind her and realized all his armaments that he had carelessly left about his feet last night were piled behind the woman. Out of his reach. He couldn't believe he had let himself get caught off guard. That flaw was for the weak race of men, not for elves.

_"Who are you, why have you been following me?,"_ she asked angrily, her voice brazen with suspicion. Legolas tried to think of something to say without further provoking her but his mind was blank.

_"You....it's just that, no...... well, as you passed by I thought you were somebody I knew. You look a lot like one of my friends from home,"_ he replied, trying to sound as sincere as he could, _"I just wanted to catch up with you to see if you were.....," his voice trailed off._

_"Do not take me to be so gullible, I have met enough people in my lifetime to know when one is lying,"_ she said, _"it is pitifully obvious you are not speaking the truth. Now answer my question truthfully before I decide to loosen my arrow into your pathetic face." Her eyes and voice reflected her sincerity. Legolas decided it would be in his best interests to state the truth._

_"I saw what you did to that man, the one at the tavern...... the one you killed,"_ he replied, hoping that the woman would not respond too aggressively.

_"Exactly whom do you work for? I do not think you to be of Bargil's company for I have never seen you with them,"_ she said suspiciously, _"what is it that you want from me?"_

_"Nay, I do not work for anyone. I am here by my own choice. After I saw what you did to that man I had to find out more. It is only my curiosity that bade me to follow you,"_ he told her, _"as for my name, I will not reveal it until I know yours."_

_"Then perhaps you should learn to restrain your curiosity in matters not of your concern, or else you will fall to the same fate as Bargil," _was her reply, _"or perhaps I should silence you forever. My current employer would not be too pleased if he found out that someone was witness to my task."_

_"I will not reveal to anyone what I saw, the shallow affairs of men interest me not. Now that I know a little more about the purpose of your deed, it no longer holds my interest,"_ said Legolas, watching as the woman relaxed the bowstring a bit and pointed the arrow slightly downwards. He ventured on to ask her name.__

_"The name that my employers, past and present know me by is Raneth," _shetold him, rather proudly, _"though many of them deal with me in secrecy. And you would be?"_

_"Legolas,"_ he said, standing up.

_"Well then Legolas, I think this is where you turn around and leave and pretend you never saw anything or ever met me,"_ she said, _"it would be best for you to depart while I still allow you…,"_ She suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and stood up alertly, motioning for him to be quiet. She could hear the sound of hoof-beats galloping in the distance. Raneth looked towards the sound and saw a group of about 5 or 6 horsemen racing towards them from the direction of the town. Legolas saw this too, realizing that she must be an elf, for no human senses could have detected that.

_"Your friends?,"_ she asked, once again suspicious. Her arrow was pointed at him again, and the unknown riders were drawing ever closer.


	3. Attack in the Forest

**A/N: Oh goody, more reviews. Thanks to all who wrote something, I'll try to churn out those chapters as often as I can. This is strangely amusing for me. Also, anyone wanna inform me on what a Mary-Sue is? I am so uninformed…..

BTW (Aireroswen): About the way that elves "sleep", now that you mention it, I vaguely remember reading about that a while ago. Thanks for reminding me!**

_"No. I said I was by myself, I do not know who they are,"_ Legolas said defensively.

_"Maybe you're right, from the looks of it they are Bragil's men. They are no doubt coming to find me, they knew he was meeting with me the other night. I suppose my departure from the town didn't go as unnoticed as I had wished,"_ she said, once again lowering her bow, _"if they find me the consequences will not be favourable. I should leave, and I think you should too. If they find you they will probably interrogate you. Men here are always suspicious of elves."_

She quickly gathered her belongings and mounted her horse. The riders were fast approaching and had surely caught sight of the two figures on the edge of the valley by now. Legolas was still standing there, deciding what he should do in this unexpected situation.

_"You are not going to stand there and let them catch you are you? Unless you really are part of their company and plan to tell them what little information you know,"_ she asked, without attempting to hide her contempt. 

_"As I already said, I do not know them...... and I do not wish to meet them,"_ he said as he started to hastily collected everything.

_"If that is true, then I'd advise you to choose your road well. Bragil's men know I am of elvish-kind. Now they will be questioning any elves they meet,"_ she said, _"He had many on his side, who will be searching everywhere. Hide your features as best you can until you get out of Gondor."_  With that, she urged her horse forward, away from him and the oncoming men. 

_So she is an elf_, Legolas thought to himself. But now wasn't the time to think more about it. He mounted his nearby steed, and keeping Raneth's advice in mind and sped off after her. As he glanced back, he saw that the horsemen had closed in on them somewhat. He gradually caught up with her, seeing that the riders pursuing them were neither closer nor farther, but the same distance away as before.

_"What are you doing?"_ she asked, surprised that he was there alongside her. 

_"I do not know this area well,"_ he told her, _"it seems you are more familiar with this land and its people. Your path is no doubt much safer than what mine would have been."_

Raneth gave no reply; instead she shifted her course slightly, heading towards a forest in the distance. As the pair neared the tall trees, Legolas looked back again and saw that the men were still after them, and closer than ever. 

_"I'm going to take cover and wait for them in the forest. Men may be weak, but they are stubborn and will not give up looking for me,"_ she said to Legolas, _"you may join me if you wish, or continue on your own through the cover of the trees."_ Legolas wondered briefly what she meant by waiting for them as the two entered the forest. 

Raneth dismounted and lead her horse behind some trees where he would not be seen easily. She then swiftly climbed up one of the trees to a sturdy branch high off the ground, hidden among the thick foliage. Legolas followed her lead and climbed up a nearby tree where he could see her and the ground below. He watched as she readied her bow with an arrow. After several moments, the sound of the men and their horses indicated they had reached the edge of the woods.

_"Did you see where they went? Can't be too far off now,"_ they heard one of the men say, as he came into view. Legolas watched as another five riders appeared on the ground below. 

_"If we find that she-elf and bring her back, we'll be sure to gain favour with Bragil's rich friends. Let us hope they are not too far off,"_ another man responded. Suddenly from somewhere in the trees, Legolas's horse gave a slight snort that could be heard by everyone. 

_"Must be one of the horses, sounds like it's close by,"_ said the same man, _"spread out, we'll be sure to catch th-..." _But his sentence never came to an end for an arrow struck him dead in the neck. By the time the others fully realized what had happened, another one of them had fallen to the ground with an arrow deep in his chest. Legolas caught a glance at Raneth and saw that the arrows were from her bow. Just before the attack, she had thrown her hood back in order to have a better view of the men below and Legolas could see her face clearly now for the first time. He had no doubt she had done this many times before judging from the look on her face. It was brutally cold and had the blankness of a professional killer as she concentrated on releasing the arrows. 

_"Up in the trees, they're coming from above in the trees,"_ one of the men shouted. Of the four who were still alive, only two had bows with them. One of them took a wild shot into the canopy, the arrow skimming Legolas's right leg and leaving a deep gash. The man reached for his quiver, except an arrow found its way into his chest and ended his life in an instant The other man with a bow began taking aim in the general direction of Raneth, but slumped over, lifeless upon his horse before his eyes could search her out. The other two turned around desperately trying to escape, but were stopped in their tracks by two deadly, well-aimed arrows. 

The horses of the riders were moving about fearfully, some with the dead men still on their backs. Raneth slid down from the tree with ease and slowly approached the frightened animals, speaking to them with gentle words. When the horses had calmed down a bit, she pulled the dead men off their backs, leaving their bodies strewn on the ground. She bade the horses to return to their homes, and sent them on their way. She stood there unmoving for a moment, watching the horses run off with empty saddles and contemplating on what her next move would be. Legolas descended with difficulty from where he was and hobbled over to her, though she gave no acknowledgement of his presence.

**A/N: I'm at a bit of a dead end here so I realize this chapter ended rather abruptly. Oh well. I wonder how I can get it so that Legolas ends up tagging along. Hmmmmm.**


	4. Secret Dealings

**A/N: Some of the stuff here (words, names etc.) aren't exactly on-par with certain elements in the book, but.....I admit! I've been corrupted by the "newer" and (perhaps?) better-known words from the movie (I realize how much this annoys the LOTR purists). That sounds a bit confusing, but you'll know what I mean when you stumble across something that may not go along with the books. Don't hate me too much for it, I'm trying not to stray too far from the books. Lep, lep, lep!**  
  
Without giving Legolas a second glance, Raneth strode back to her horse then guided her steed to where the forest joined the grassy plains. There she sat down on the ground, stretching her legs out in front of her. This was one of the few times she could enjoy the beauty of the land around her. The sun was now high in the noon sky and revealed a vast, lonely landscape. The grassy plains beyond the edge of the forest gently ebbed and flowed with the occasional breeze. Within moments Legolas appeared beside her atop his horse, his wound still in plain sight.  
  
The living silence of the land proved that Raneth and Legolas were alone for the time being, the only sounds coming from their steeds. Now in the full light of the sun, he noticed how her dark brown hair glinted, and how her eyes seem transfixed on some distant thought. As with many of her kind, she was dark-haired and fair of face, though her green eyes were an uncommon trait. She was by no means extraordinarily beautiful, and only her eye colour would have made her stand out from among other elves. At that moment she appeared less threatening than usual as a peacefulness seemed to blanket her.  
  
"What is it you are thinking of?" Legolas quietly asked her.  
  
"There is a memory from a long ago time when I..." she replied, her voice trailing to a whisper. Suddenly she stood up, her fire returning, "I have a matter to deal with in the Eastfold province of Rohan."  
  
She went over to Legolas, glanced at his right leg where the stray arrow had cut him with little concern, knowing that the wound would heal quickly. Looking up at him she asked, "Will be you be coming with me once again?", a smirk playing on her lips.  
  
"I should like to see the vast grasslands of Rohan again. I passed swiftly through them on my way to Gondor, and had not the chance to appreciate those lands I so rarely journey through. They are quite different from the forests of my home," he told her with a faint smile, amused at seeing how far he could go with this.  
  
"So be it," she said with obvious frustration lacing her words, but she wasn't about to give into his little game.  
  
They crossed the Mering Stream into Eastfold after a speedy ride through Anórien. They arrived shortly at the edge of a small town, almost a village, where Raneth slowed down and signaled for Legolas to do the same. The approaching cover of dusk painted the sky with streaks of blue, purple and orange while the sun dipped slowly beneath the mountains on the horizon. The town was like many other human habitations, where roads ran jagged throughout and dwellings were clustered together in a disoriented manner.  
  
"You should keep out of sight, I am supposed to have come alone," she said in a low voice, "I must go see someone." She urged her horse forward into the town, making her way towards a ramshackle group of houses. She came to a stop and dismounted at an ordinary looking house and knocked on the door. It opened immediately, as though someone had been expecting her. She stepped inside and the door was shut.  
  
Legolas had been watching this from the edge of the town where she had left him, and decided to go closer and to try get a better view. He descended from his horse and walked to where he saw she had gone. He continued on past the house, then slipped behind another with his horse. From hiding spot, he could see the front door of the house Raneth had gone in, without being seen himself. He waited there as the dark of the night swallowed up the evening and stars appeared in the deep skies. At last, the door of the house opened and out came Raneth and a stout man holding a lantern. From his angle, Legolas could only see the man's back, though Raneth was facing him.  
  
"You did a good job, I'll be calling for your services again if I ever need to," he said in a strangely deep, crackling voice.  
  
"I will be avoiding Gondor for the next little while since I might be in some trouble there, so I do not think I can do anything for you there," she said, "though everywhere else is fine for me."  
  
"Maybe you can help me with my other needs. I'll pay you well for it," suggestively stroking her arm as he said this.  
  
"No, my time with you is done for now, there are other things I must see to," she said coldly, swiping his hand away and quickly mounting her horse.  
  
With that, she bade her horse forward and left the house. The man watched her leave, then turned and entered his house closing the door behind him. As soon as he was sure no one was watching, Legolas leapt on to his horse and went after Raneth. He didn't know what secret dealings with men she was involved in, though he was now intent on finding out after this encounter.  
  
**A/N: I might not be updating as often, seeing as how bloody school is starting again.** 


	5. Search in the Dark

**A/N: It's been quite a while since I last added to this story eh? It's the fault of all the school crap I have to do. But now I have long weekend, and what better way to spend it then write some more. I am so pathetic.**

Stepping out on to the uneven road, Legolas caught sight of Raneth rounding a corner up ahead. He quickly caught up to her side, looking back to make sure that no one was watching them. 

_"What was that all about?"_ he asked, _" Do you work for that man?"_

_"It is not your business to ask such questions, and no, I do not work for anyone but myself,"_ she said coldly, _"Why is it you are so insistent on asking me all sorts of questions?" _

_"After I saw you murder that man- "_ he started, before being cut off by Raneth who stopped her horse to look straight at Legolas.

_"You should not meddle in the dealings of others. I never gave any indication of inviting you to come with me. In fact if I remember correctly, there were many occasions I hinted for you to leave and yet you still follow. Why is that?" _

_"Even I do not know my own answer to your question. Though perhaps it is because of my curiosity that I come with you,"_ Legolas answered unsurely. Raneth stared unmoving at him for a moment before answering.

_"You might yet prove to be useful if you stay, though if you should hinder me at all…."_ she said, stopping in mid sentence before continuing along the road as she had done before.

Silence came between them for the next while as they proceeded along the lonely road, each in their own thoughts. At last Raneth came to a stop by a nameless inn on the side of the road. She pulled her hood over her head to cover her face, instructing Legolas to do so as well. Leaving their horses outside, the two entered the inn through a heavy wooden door and stepped into the lighted tavern. Once inside, the innkeeper made his way to them and asked what he could do.

_"Can you tell me in which room I can find one of your guests? He goes by the name of Daethor,"_ she asked the short, bearded man. 

_"Ah yes, he is staying in the second room to the right, just up the stairs," _he said, _"though right now he is sitting over there with some other men if you wish to speak with him now." _The innkeeper indicated to a group of about a dozen men drinking at a table at the other side of the room. 

_"He seems to be quite preoccupied at the moment, perhaps I will meet with him later on. Do not worry about telling him of my arrival, I do not wish to disturb him."_ Raneth told the innkeeper. He nodded then turned his attention to some rowdy men in the corner who were calling for more ale.

_"I am going up to Daethor's room, there may be something he has that I am looking for. I am sure you can be of some aid and help me find it,"_ Raneth said to Legolas while going up the stairs. They reached the door of the room and entered through the unlocked door. It was a small poorly lighted room with a wooden desk along one wall and a bed tucked in the corner. Various papers were scattered all over the bed and desk, and some strewn carelessly on the floor. 

_"What is it you wish to find?"_ Legolas asked her, his eyes gazing over the mess of papers.

_"It is map of the northern region of Mirkwood. It shows in detail the lands of the Woodland elves I believe."_ she said, rummaging through the piles of paper on the desk. _"There should also be some writing on the other side of it."_

Legolas had only a moment to think of why she was searching for map of his father's kingdom before he heard the heavy footsteps of several men coming up the stairs. 

_"Here it is,"_ breathed Raneth with a sigh of relief as she picked up a scribbled map from the desk. The footsteps stopped outside the room they were in, and voices could be heard from the other side of the door. 

_"Quick, under the bed,"_ she said, grabbing Legolas's wrist then darting under the bed pulling him down with her. 

The area under the bed was dusty and there was little space between the two though their positions allowed them both to look out on to the floor of the room. Less than a second later the door opened and seven men walked in holding candles that lighted the room and discussing the price of something amongst each other. Six of them were dark skinned men who seemed to be Easterlings. The other man who seemed to be a local of Rohan was looking through the papers on the desk.

_"You are sure this map is accurate? Our masters plan depends greatly on this,"_ said one of the dark skinned men threateningly. _"Our payment for it is more than generous. You had better been telling the truth about this map you have for us."_

_"Yes, yes. I received it from a reliable source. Unless the king has suddenly changed his methods, this precisely shows his borders' weak areas,"_ replied the lighter skinned man who was frantically shuffling through the papers on the desk. He continued searching there for a few moments before moving on to rummaging through the papers on the bed while muttering nervously to himself. The other six men were obviously becoming inpatient and suspicious of the other man.

_"Well? Where is it? We do not have all night to wait,"_ said one of the other dark skinned men, anger evident in his voice.

_"I cannot seem to find it, perhaps I misplaced it. It is here somewhere…"_replied the fair skinned man who was now desperately shuffling through the papers all over the room. He went on looking for a few more minutes before the same dark skinned man spoke again.

_"You are taking far too long for this, it would be faster if my men did this themselves,"_ he said, grabbing the desperate man and pushing him against the wall. With that, he drew out a long gleaming sword and stabbed his snivelling captive twice through the chest. 

_"Whatever your other plans to double cross us were, they are sure to not happen now, Daethor,"_ laughed his killer. Letting go of the dead man he ordered the others to search the rest of the room for the map. 

From under the bed, Raneth tightly clutched the map as she and Legolas tried moving closer to the corner of the wall to avoid being seen.  From where they were, they could still somewhat see the men searching the room, scattering papers everywhere in the process. As they watched, they saw feet of someone walking towards and stopping at the bed. The man above them looked through the papers on top before starting to stoop down to look under the bed. Thinking quickly, Legolas pulled his dark cloak over Raneth and himself. There would be very little chance of escaping if they were found, for the six men there were armed with deadly blades and Raneth's and Legolas's position left them with very little mobility to defend themselves. The two elves held their breath and froze, hoping that the darkness would conceal them.

**A/N: Well you know how it goes folks, read and review! Good or bad, I like to hear your opinions……Please.**


	6. testing

**testing…. don't mind this. fanfiction.net is going all screwy, none of my chapters are in order**


	7. A Compromise

**A/N: Finally, chapter six! Hope you're all liking this so far, and keep on reviewing! Even a little, tiny small one. If I don't get enough feedback on this story I just might decide to abandon it and start up my other one.**

Legolas and Raneth lay in hiding in the darkness under the bed, covered by Legolas's cloak. They could sense the searching eyes of the man wandering over them and their ears caught the sound of his deep breathing. The moment lasted for only a few seconds, but to the hiding elves it felt more like hours. At last, the man stood up, satisfied that he hadn't found anything worthwhile. 

Raneth let out a barely audible sigh of relief, thankful that the man had not seen them. She turned her head towards Legolas, giving him a slight nod of her head to as though to acknowledge his quick thinking of covering both of them with his cloak. He peeked out from underneath his cloak and saw that the room was now even messier than before, with papers covering the entire area of the floor. The men seemed to have given up searching the room and were now gathered in a circle at the far end of the room, discussing what they were going to do.

"_That good for nothing rat probably sold the map to someone else already," _said a low, raspy voice_, "there is nothing more that we can do here_."

"_The Master will not be pleased by this news, that map was crucial to his plans. What will he do when he finds out we have failed?"_ asked another man fearfully.

"_He doesn't have to know what happened. All we must do is find whoever is in possession of it now and take it from them. There will be no more useless negotiating, whoever has it will give it to us for free, or else we shall have to take it by force_," replied the same raspy voice as before, "_Let us go now, there is not much time before the Master will begin to suspect something_." The men left the room as quickly as they had arrived, their boots falling heavily upon the wooden floorboards. 

Raneth and Legolas stayed under the bed until the sounds of the footsteps had descended the stairs. They slid out from under the bed, standing in the now dark and silent room with the murdered man still slumped on the floor, lying in slowly growing pool of dark blood. Raneth walked over to the edge of the window, her feet making no sound as they stepped lightly over the papers on the floor, and leaned on one side against the wall. She gazed out on to the quiet street outside, still holding the folded map in her hands.

_"I suppose that it is for the better that men do not have highly developed senses after all_," said Legolas with a trace of a smile on his face, as he walked over to the opposite edge of the window to face Raneth. She gave a small laugh at his comment and looked up to meet his eyes. 

"_That always proves to be an advantage for me in this business_," she told him with a trace of amusement in her voice. Looking down at the map in her hands she said, "_I did not know that there were others who were after this, though now that I think of it, I am not surprised by this_."

"_I am glad that it did not fall into their hands. There is a growing evil in the south of Mirkwood, and rumours say that Sauron has returned along with his dark servants_," he told her, turning serious, "_I worry that he may be planning an attack on the realm of the elves there, the last safe place in all of Mirkwood. You will not let the enemy gain possession of that map, will you? "_

_"I cannot say who will be the one to possess it later on. All I know is that someone requested me to find it and return it to them, for a very high price I might add. As for the fate of the Mirkwood elves, it is of little concern to me,_" she said to him, returning to her cold, professional demeanour.

_"How can you care so little for the others of your own race?"_ he asked angrily, taking a step towards her.

"_My own race? No Legolas, I can barely be considered an elf anymore. I do not live as one, and even if I wished to, there is no home or family for me to return to_," she told him bitterly.

"_If you have no home, I am sure any of the other elves would take you in to live among them_," he pointed out.

"_I do not search for the pity of others_," she answered immediately, then asked, "_Why do you care so much about the elves of Mirkwood?_" Their eyes met and she held his steady gaze, waiting for a reply. Legolas decided he might as well tell her the truth since there was no point in hiding it from her.

"_It is because that is where I live and where my father rules as King," _he said_, "and if it is in my power, then I will do all I can to prevent an attack_." Raneth's eyes widened, giving away her shock at hearing this. She crossed her arms, casting her eyes downward for a few seconds before looking back up.

"_Name your price_," she said bluntly.

"_What do you mean?_" asked Legolas in obvious confusion.

"_What would you pay me if I were to give this to you?"_ she explained to him.

"_Anything, anything you demand_," he replied, completely caught off guard by her new suggestion.

"_It must be higher than the other offer I received, much higher. If I do this, I will no doubt be hunted for my betrayal_," she said, "_I will not be able to work anywhere close to here for a very long time after this, therefore I need to be assured that whatever you pay me is enough to last for the next several years_."

"_Yes, of course. But I cannot give you anything right now as I have nothing with me_," he told her, though seeing the look on her face he quickly added, "_If you were to come with me, back to Mirkwood, my father would give you anything for helping to prevent an attack on his realm. I promise that price he would pay you for the map would be more than anything else you could have received for it_." 

Raneth thought of this for a moment, then said, "_Very well, I will go to Mirkwood with you. But we must go quickly before anyone finds out what I am doing and starts coming after me_." Legolas was brimming with relief and joy at her agreement that he would have embraced her had it not been for the grimness on her face. Instead he nodded in understanding and made for the door of the room. They left the inn without arousing any attention from the other men there and went to their horses.

They mounted their steeds in silence and left the town hurriedly, riding northwards over the lonely plains of Rohan, with only the moon and countless stars lighting their way.

**A/N: Review, folks! There, I've said it and I'll say it again. **Review, review, review!**

And for the hell of it……….**Review!****


	8. Unforeseen Capture

**A/N: Greetings folks! Hehehe, just when you might have thought you had this story all figured out, BAM! Along comes chapter 8, throwing in a new twist to the story. Read on and you'll see what I mean…….**

After several hours of swift riding, Legolas noticed something different in the landscape in the distance. Concentrating his gaze, he could make out the sight of a grouping of large rocks and in amongst them there were dark figures moving about the dull flicker of a campfire. Wondering if Raneth had seen this as well, he turned to ask her.

_"Can you see that encampment there by the large rocks?"_ he questioned.

_"Yes,"_ was her short reply.

_"Are they friend or foe?"_ he continued, pressing for more information.

_"They are men,"_ she said, before returning to her silence. The moon dimly lighted her features to display a look of impassiveness mixed with seriousness on her face. She continued directly towards the encampment of men in the distance, her eyes staring ever onwards though the endless night.

Judging by the certainty in her reply, Legolas decided that these men were at least not enemies and posed no threat for the time being. As they drew nearer, he could count about twenty there, more than he had initially thought. The two were now in full sight of the group of men, some of whom were standing upon the rocks holding torches and others with bows in their hands ready to shoot, all watching their approach. Raneth gave them a strange wave of her hand and let loose from her lips a sharp whistle followed by a long, drawn out one. The men with the bows lowered them immediately and eagerly returned her wave. Shouts could be heard from the camp as the men gathered around those on the rocks.

_"Who are these men?"_ Legolas asked as Raneth slowed her horse down to a slight trot and motioned for him to do the same.

_"Friends,"_ she said bluntly. 

Within a matter of seconds they had reached the camp, came to a stop and dismounted. As the men greeted her with familiar enthusiasm, Legolas observed that there were at least thirty, all garbed in travelling clothes similar to Raneth's. By their appearances Legolas could tell that some of these men were of Rohan and others were not, but exactly where they were from he could not say.

As she went about exchanging greetings with the men, Raneth glanced at Legolas with a strange, somewhat bemused look on her face, as though she knew something he didn't. The wavering orange light cast by the torches seemed to spark an oddly sinister glint in her eye, though it lasted for barely a second to be replaced by a look of reassurance.

_"Who is this other elf you bring?"_ asked one of the men, eyeing Legolas with suspicion.

_"Hwa fylstan dat agan,"_ replied Raneth in a stange language. 

Legolas recognized this foreign speech as Rohirric, though he could not understand a word of it. Suddenly his senses alerted him that someone was pushing his way through to crowd of men to the front where he and Raneth were. It was yet another man, though this one was clothed in dark green instead of brown and seemed to be of greater stature than the others. His golden hair gave away that he was of Rohan, and though his face showed signs of weariness and experience, Legolas guessed him less than thirty years of age. 

_"Daromer!"_ Raneth exclaimed breathlessly as soon as she saw the man. She ran over and wrapping her slender arms around his neck, embraced him with a tight grip. 

_"Min frendscipe, deore Raneth,"_ sighed the man contentedly as they held each other, oblivious to everything else around them, _"Ic beon bliðe dat eower eftsith."_

_"As am I,"_ replied Raneth stepping back from their embrace, though one hand still rested gently on his forearm.

_"I was beginning to worry about you when you did not arrive last night,"_ said the man, Daromer, with concern, stroking a back a lock of dark hair that had fallen across her face.

_"You need not worry about me, you know I can handle any problems that may arise,"_ she assured him, grasping his hand that was running through her hair and pulling it down to plant a light kiss on the inside of his wrist. 

_"Yes, I know you are right. But whenever you go off on your own I cannot sleep," _he told her quietlyenough so that none of the others could hear, except Legolas with his elf ears. She smiled at Daromer warmly, then turned her gaze to Legolas who was standing at a distance from them.

_"As for the map, yes, I am in possession of it,"_ said Raneth hintingly, _"but I have found something that is of far greater value than the map. Something that will be sure to give a much higher profit." _

_"What is it?"_ asked Daromer.

_"Not what but who,"_ Raneth corrected him, then turned her watch to Legolas, _"Bearn cyninga Thranduil dat sceadu holtwudu. Daromer, you understand what I mean, do you not?"_

Legolas could sense that something in her words was out of place, but he was not completely sure what it was and his morbid curiosity kept him in place.

_"Yes, I think I understand. Læccan him!"_ commanded Daromer to the men who were standing by, _"Don nic for lætan ætberstan! Make sure he stays alive."_

The next thing Legolas knew was that several men were striding towards him menacingly, their swords drawn. Finally it dawned on him what was happening. Raneth had betrayed him and intended to take him captive in order to draw ransom from his father. He knew he was on his own now with no one on his side, and left to his own devices. 

There was little chance for him to escape on his horse now as the men encircled him, and he was still determined as ever to gain possession of the Mirkwood map. Knowing he was on his own now with no one on his side, he readied himself for a fight. In a split second he had an arrow strung in his bow, and skilfully released it, hissing into the neck of the closest man. But that did not deter the others from approaching even closer. 

Legolas knew his bow would be useless in close range combat, so he dropped it and reached for one of the daggers he kept by his side. Aiming it with exact precision, he threw in a flash of cold metal it at another man. The only weapons he still had in his possession now were his quiver of arrows and another dagger. He drew out the dagger, slightly longer than the previous one and stood his ground ready to fend off his oncoming attackers. Steel rang against steel as the edge of his dagger met a sword. He fought back fiercely as another blade came at him. 

But even as he used all his strength, the men outnumbered him greatly and he could not hold them back for long. After few more moments of intense fighting, his dagger was knocked out of his hand and under the full weight of four men, he was pinned to the ground. Legolas struggled to break free, but there was no success in his attempts. He saw someone walking towards him and looked up to see who it was. It was Raneth, and with a satisfied look on her face she said to him, _"The ransom of a king is no doubt little compared to the ransom of a king's son, Legolas."_

**A/N: The language between Raneth and Daromer is supposed to be Rohirric. Tolkien didn't really give much detail of this language in his books except that it is supposed to be like Old English, which I very loosely based the dialogue here on. I'm not an expert or anything on it, so don't get too mad if you see lots of errors in it. 

Here's a bit of translation if you want to know what they were saying:

Hwa fylstan dat agan = Someone who will help us

Min frendscipe, deore Raneth = My love, dear Raneth

Ic beon bliðe dat eower eftsith = I am glad of your return

Bearn cyninga Thranduil dat sceadu holtwudu = The son of king Thranduil of Mirkwood

Laeccan him! Don nic for laetan aetberstan! = Capture him! Do not let him escape! **


	9. Thoughts in the Night

**A/N: Wow, so here I am at chapter 8 of this story... Never thought I'd get this far with this being my first work of fan fiction. I was afraid I'd get all kinds of nasty reviews that I've seen other first time writers receive, but apparently I have yet to experience that.

Thanks to all who gave reviews, they are very much appreciated.

- joebob: Hmmm, some dialogue is in italics and some isn't? Never noticed it myself, where did you see this? I'm pretty sure I got all the dialogue italicized. How odd.

-Aireroswen: Yes, it's nice to see Legolas get captured isn't it? What a predicament he's in now. You're not too strange to be excited about it, after all I was too. Oh the insanity of it all.

- melissa greenleaf: It's certainly nice to see someone get so excited over my strange little story. Keep those reviews of yours coming!

**Quick note of explanation **(you better read it or else this chapter won't make sense):  I decided to change this story into first person narrative from Raneth's point of view. I thought it would help with the understanding of her character and make the story a little more interesting. I got the idea when I was reading La Revolte d'Ayachi in French language arts class. So here is the result, hope you don't find it all too confusing.

On to the story now...**

Looking up at me from the ground, his blue eyes flashed an array of emotions from anger to disappointment. After many long years of living amongst men, how strange it was to finally meet another elf, only to betray him and hold him as my captive. I had always wondered what it would be like to finally meet a fellow elf, but never had I thought it would have turned out like this. With my last words I turned my heel back towards Daromer who had begun giving orders to the others. Several men went to Legolas holding ropes in their hands, no doubt used to tie his wrists and ankles. 

_"You can not do this Raneth, this treachery is for men! You are an elf, you should know better than to stoop to this," _he shouted after me, _"You do not deserve to call yourself an elf!" I shut out his voice from my head and continued without missing a step._

_"Mattos, prepare your horse, there is a message that needs to be brought quickly to Thranduil of Mirkwood," _I called out to one of the younger men, known for his speed in traveling.

_"Yes, of course," _he replied dutifully, running off to the area where most of the horses were kept. I went to where Daromer was standing, watching as the others were still struggling to tie up Legolas. I suppose they had gagged him, for only muffled sounds could be heard coming from him.__

_"Where are the instruments for writing? We should write the letter of ransom quickly so Thranduil will receive it soon enough," _I asked Daromer, feeling his arm wrap around my waist and closing the distance between us.

_"Ever since you left the camp last week I had been thinking about the next time I could have you close to me,"_ he whispered into my ear, _"close like this, and more." His breath swept past to tickle my neck and ears, sending a shiver through my body. I thought I would surely give in, but I somehow managed to gently push myself a step back from him while trying to calm my burning nerves.___

_"Later, my love. There is time for that later,"_ I told him, regaining my composure, _"For now we must concentrate on the task at hand."_

_"Very well then, I shall be looking forward to that later time," _he said slyly, then pointed to a small wooden box sitting on a nearby stone, _"the things you will need for writing are all in there. I trust you will be able to think of an appropriate sum for the ransom." I smiled at him and nodded before heading towards the large, relatively flat rock._

In the box I found a few rolls of paper, a couple quills and some ink. Quickly taking out the necessary items, I placed them out on the rock and smoothed out a sheet of paper. Dipping the quill into the ink, I began writing in the Common tongue, a language I was sure he would understand. And so the letter read:

_Our greetings to you, King Thranduil of Mirkwood._

_It is our deepest regret to inform you that we are holding your son, the prince Legolas, as our captive. Our purpose is not to kill him; in fact we hope that it does not come to that. If you wish to have your son back safely, there is but one demand we have of you before we will release him. Gather ten of your most valuable treasures, which I am sure you have many of, and send them with no more than three of your messengers to the eastern edge of Mirkwood on the Old Forest Road to wait for our arrival. If we should have any suspicions that plan is at all changed on your part, or find that the price you give us for your son is insufficient, we will leave taking him with us and it is certain you will never set eyes on him again. As for the messenger of this letter, send him back to us unharmed or risk the fate of your son. I trust you will make the right decisions regarding this grave matter. _

_Your Friends in Rohan_

I carefully folded the paper and got up from the rock to look for Mattos. I found him soon enough, tending to his horse and packing the necessary supplies for his journey. I passed him the letter, telling him to be careful while on the road and bid him luck as he climbed into the saddle. Tucking the letter securely into his pocket he said a quick farewell and was off, speeding towards the north. I fondly watched as he left, remembering the time when he joined our company as a young boy, barely even fifteen but ambitious and full of zeal. Mattos was one of my favourites, being one of the youngest and eager to learn from me and listen to my stories.             

Standing there in the coolness of the night my thoughts turned to what Legolas had said to me before. I tried to ignore his comments, but they kept coming back and somewhere within me, I knew I was a disgrace to my elven blood. But after the long years of living amongst men, I had grown accustomed, though never quite comfortable, to such feelings brought on by the many things I had done that went against the nature of my kind. My love for the human, Daromer, being the greatest of these deeds. Or perhaps the worst. 

I headed back to the main area of the camp where most of the men had laid down to rest, and some sat on the outlying rocks keeping watch. Legolas had been tied up and was propped up against a rock, glaring at me with those frigid blue eyes as I passed him. His words came flooding back into my mind, but I shut them out once again. 

I found Daromer standing close to the still burning campfire in the shadow of a large rock. In silence I stepped behind him and brought my arm around his chest to pull him close. It had only been several days since I left the camp, but it felt as though I had been away from him much too long. A sense of relief and familiarity came over me as I pressed my face against his back and breathed in the scent of him, an earthy smell that reflected his labours.

"The letter is sent then?" he asked me.

"Yes, Mattos left with it not too long ago," I told him.

"And our plan for the ransom?" he continued. I quickly informed him of what I had written in the letter. He nodded thoughtfully, taking into account what I had said to him. I felt his hand wrap around mine at his front, and for a moment he held it there, then let go to turn and face me.

The five years I had known, and loved him seemed all too short. I took into detail everything that happened during our times together, for I knew that eventually he would fall to mortality and I would continue my life without him. It seemed to me that he would pass in front of my eyes like a butterfly, a creature of a brief season who, in the blink of an eye, be gone forever. Driving back my thoughts, I focused on the present moment. His deep brown eyes stared right into mine as he slipped each of his arms around my waist and brought his face down to land a light kiss on my forehead.

_"Perhaps we should go elsewhere,"_ I suggested to him quietly. Even though all the other men knew what was between us, I certainly did not enjoy being seen showing my affection for Daromer by them. I led him by his hand behind of the large, upright rocks, away from everyone else. And out of the sight of Legolas.

**A/N: Hehehe, sorry to disappoint those of you who thought this would a standard "Legomance" Ugh, that word makes me shudder. No offence meant to anyone who enjoys them, sometimes I indulge too. 

Another thing, the line Raneth says about how men have such short lives is actually taken from Philip Pullman's book "The Golden Compass" and changed around a little bit. I found it to be such a good line, perfectly describing Raneth's situation with Daromer (or any other elf/human relations for that matter).

And lastly...

What do you think of this chapter? Don't like the way it's written? The love stuff making you gag? Too much of my original character and not enough Legolas? Or maybe the other way around? I don't know if you don't tell me! (hint: Review!)**


End file.
